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Q: My wife and I recently bought a seven-night, air-inclusive package to Grand Cayman through Apple Vacations for our fifth anniversary. We didn’t buy travel insurance. We did not purchase the trip insurance because we didn’t think anything could stop us from going.

We were wrong.

A few days before our vacation, we rushed my wife to the emergency room, where she suffered a miscarriage. She was 12 weeks pregnant. The next day at her visit, the doctor told us that she could not fly due to the complications and uncertainty of the miscarriage.

The day after that, she had to have an emergency dilation and curettage. Again, the doctor urged us to not take our trip. We have records and documentation of both emergency room visits, doctor visit, doctor’s note stating no travel.

We shared our story with Apple Vacations and they said there was nothing they could do until the trip was canceled. An Apple representative promised us a credit by phone. Instead, they issued us a $172 gift card and told us that we have $672 each to use at American Airlines, minus a $200 change fee.

We have called multiple times and have written several emails trying to get a hold of Apple’s customer care department. Because we did not purchase the insurance, their automated response reads that they will get back to us in “21 to 35” business days.

We feel that this is completely unacceptable. We understand that rules are rules and, looking back, regret not purchasing the trip insurance. We hope that someone with a heart within their company can review our case and help us out.

I was on the phone for three hours with them this evening, only to be told again that there was nothing that could be done, but to try another phone number. I fear that they are spinning me in circles, hoping I give up. Do you have any suggestions? — Tim Kersten, Orland Park, Illinois.

A: I’m really sorry to hear about the miscarriage. At a time like that, you would expect your tour operator and airline to offer a compassionate response. And, indeed, a representative initially did offer you a credit

Then reality hit. You hadn’t purchased trip insurance and Apple appeared to reverse course.

Travel insurance isn’t always necessary, but in your case, you might have benefited from it. I say “might” because I’ve seen pregnancy-related claims go both ways. Insurance companies sometimes consider a pregnancy a “pre-existing” medical condition and deny claims. Other times, I’ve seen them do the right thing and honor a claim made after a complication or miscarriage. In other words, having insurance is no guarantee that your case would have turned out any better.

The terms of your purchase were clear. Cancellations 44 to 31 days prior to departure are subject to a $125 per person penalty, and outside of 44 days prior to departure there is a $45 per person penalty. But cancel within 30 days and you lose everything. You agreed to those terms when you booked your vacation.

Your airfare was even more restrictive -- a nonrefundable economy class ticket that, as you already mentioned, will give you a flight credit minus a $200 change fee. That change fee alone eats up almost a third of the value of your ticket, and American gets to resell the seat you didn’t use.

I keep coming back to the Apple employee who listened sympathetically to your story and then promised you a credit. Somewhere, there’s a recording of that conversation, and if Apple took the time to listen to it, it might see things your way.

About Christopher Elliott

Christopher Elliott writes the Travel Troubleshooter column for the Miami Herald; he also writes about the travel industry for MSNBC.com and for National Geographic Traveler. If you don't find the information you need here in his past columns, you can reach Elliott via his website at www.elliott.org.